The Way We Were

The Way We Christmas Shop

Marcy parked outside a boutique and she and Yuria got out. They walked inside.

A salesgirl walked over. "I'm sorry but we have a private viewing at this time-"

"We know. We're it." Marcy slid her sunglasses from her nose to her hair.

"You're the Fabanges?"

"There's more coming if they're not already here."

The salesgirl smiled brightly. "Would you like something to drink? We have Tair champagne."

"That'll work." Marcy nodded. "Where are we doing this?"

"Please follow me." The woman led them to a back room filled with designer clothes and accessories.

Marcy and Yuria sat down on couches and took off their coats and things.

The salesgirl brought the bubbly before leaving them to peruse.

Marcy went to a forest green velvet gown. It was knee length with full sleeves and empire waist.

"That is lovely." Yuria loved it.

"Thank you. I can wear it for Christmas dinner."

"How exactly does this work?" Yuria was confused. "All of your traditions?"

"We decorate the first weekend of December, take Christmas photos the second then leave for vacation the third. Every year we go either somewhere hot or somewhere cold. We bond and have fun until we leave a couple days after Christmas.

We come back here and spend time together until New Years Eve, where we have a New Years party. Then we celebrate Mikey's birthday then go back to work and school."

"Anything else?"

"We bake, volunteer, go sledding, go caroling and watch Christmas movies all December long. I make my hot chocolate and Christmas cookies.

When we're gone, we open one present each on Christmas Eve then go to bed. We wake up in the morning and dig into the rest of the presents people have brought for us then have Christmas Brunch.

We go to church then have fun until Christmas dinner, which is always amazing. Presents come to our homes before we leave and after we come back because we cannot travel with 5,000 plus packages."

"Your family sounds incredible."

"We are disfunction at its best. But when we come together, we're cement." Marcy found another green dress with red detailing. "I like this for the pictures. What do you think?"

Yuria smiled. "I love it."

W.W.W.

Mercedes and Quinn showed up with Maddie fifteen minutes later. "Hey!"

"Hey!" Marcy and Yuria already had a few outfits.

"You already started?" Mercedes took off her coat, cheeks red from the cold.

"Yeah." Marcy picked up a toddler outfit for Mickey. "Think Mac will like this?"

"It's blue." Quinn teased. "She'll love it."

"Thank you." Marcy added it to a growing pile.

"Have you gotten anything for Rye yet?"

Marcy held up a violet velvet dress with white silk petticoats.

Mercedes screeched. "That's so cute!"

"I wish that came in my size." Maddie pouted.

"Ditto!"

"Oh. I wanted to warn you." Marcy put the dress back. "She's started teething. We'll probably have our own room."

"What? No!" Mercedes whined. "We always share!"

"We're getting old now."

Mercedes pouted.

Quinn didn't want to see her wife sad. "We're sharing a room and that's final."

"I'm going to put her in your bed." Marcy threatened.

"I'll cuddle her through the pain."

Maddie giggled. "Remind me to have my bed far away from yours."

"I know that's right, Short Stack." Marcy smirked.

W.W.W.

When the girls were done shopping, they had four changes of clothes plus shoes and accessories for the photo shoot and two different outfits for Christmas church services and dinner for their entire (immediate married) families.

Mercedes and Quinn waved goodbye as they drove off with Maddie, going to drop the eleven year old off at school.

Marcy backed out of her parking spot. "I'm thirsty. Want coffee?"

"Sure." Yuria nodded.

"Want to go to school or put this shopping up?"

"Which would you prefer?"

"If we put this up, I'll want coffee before and after."

"Two coffees?" Yuria giggled. "Sign me up!"

Marcy laughed.